Speech by the president of the Organizing Committee of "Good Luck Beijing" 2007 Baseball International Tournament

We have just crossed the date of the 500-day countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The 400-day, 300-day, 100-day dates…… are drawing nearer and nearer. Holding a high-level Olympic Games with distinguishing features carries a hundred-year anticipation of the Chinese nation and the trust of the entire Chinese people. 2007 is a decisive year for the Beijing Olympic Games. “Good Luck Beijing” sports competition events are of special significance in the decisive year. They will test the construction criteria of the Olympic competition venues, the organizing ability of the Olympic administrative and managing teams and the peripheral supporting facilities of the venues. The 2007 Baseball International Tournament as an important event of the “Good Luck Beijing” sports competition will accept the same kind of challenge as other events in the year. Wukesong Baseball Field as one the Olympic venues will accept the test and examination with Olympic criteria and focus the attention of the whole world during the period from August 18 through August 23, 2007.

“Good Luck Beijing” sports competition is an important link to test the efficiency and performance of BOCOG during the preparatory period, an important platform to find out the shortcomings and raise our work level and the most important task of the Olympic preparatory work this year. As one of the first comprehensive test matches before the Olympic Games, the 2007 Baseball International Tournament will give Wukesong Baseball Field a rare opportunity of “practical competition rehearsal”. Wukesong Baseball Field will cherish the opportunity to plan, organize and carry out with meticulous care and with the Olympic criteria “Good Luck Beijing” 2007 Baseball International Tournament to test comprehensively and in a concentrate way the competition operation system: “with the competition as the centre, the venue as the base and the surrounding area as the guarantee”, to test the command system of a single sport event and comprehensively test the coordinating and communications mechanism of the command operation centre, test the venue team’s ability to handle emergency as well as routine matters in order to improve and perfect the various service and management policies and procedures, push forward and promote with the Olympic criteria the work in media, security, transport, lodging, boarding, medical care, protocol and reception, market development, and customer services associated with the competition. We will let the friends from all over the world feel the warm atmosphere of security, friendliness and harmony and enjoy the timely, considerate and convenient services of the Chinese people.

As president of the organizing committee of “Good Luck Beijing”2007 Baseball International Tournament, I warmly and sincerely welcome the athletes and coaches from different countries, the International Baseball Association, officials at home and abroad, the news media of the world, and baseball lovers and fans to come to Beijing for the baseball tournament. Although the tournament will last for only six days, you will feel the atmosphere of the Beijing Olympic Games here and receive Olympic criteria services. We simultaneously hope that the 2007 Baseball International Tournament will reach the Olympic level.

The dream to host an Olympic Games in China is soon coming true. The 2008 Olympic Games is coming to us nearer and nearer and arousing warm responses from the heart of every Chinese. Starting from this point, we shall do our best with one heart, unite with every party concerned, surmount every difficulty encountered and satisfactorily complete the preparatory work in the decisive year to lay a solid foundation for the successful staging of the 2008 Olympic Games!

Tan Weike

President of the Organizing Committee of “Good Luck Beijing” 2007 Baseball International Tournament